DES MOINES, Iowa—Eastcastle Place, an LCS-managed life plan community near Milwaukee, Minn., has named Cooper Ledvina move-in coordinator for the marketing department. He previously was activities coordinator, beginning at the community in 2019.
“When I first interviewed for the position of activities coordinator, I talked about how I loved reading, listening to music, and watching classic movies. I had worked in landscaping, maintenance, coffee shops, restaurants, and even a bakery. As it turned out, knowing a little bit about a wide range of subjects seemed to make me a good fit for the job,” he said. “The residents at Eastcastle Place have a huge variety of activities. My diverse interests work really well with their distinctive talents and hobbies.”
The activities team rose to the challenge of keeping residents busy despite COVID. “At the beginning, we worked fast to ensure that we could keep them engaged. We made sure to visit room-to-room regularly with mail and groceries. We filled activity packets that we placed outside residents’ doors. These included games, puzzles, and more. Residents often contributed their own stories or jokes. We even did a door-to-door happy hour with our roving bar cart. That’s a resident favorite that continues to this day,” he said.
The activities team also filmed and streamed a lot of content on the in-house television, including educational programming, exercise classes, interviews, Trivia, sightseeing tours, etc.
“We put everything we possibly could into our activities programming, so people didn’t feel isolated or bored. We’re still getting positive feedback about it. Many of the programs we started due to COVID precautions we continue to this day purely out of their popularity. If we can get you watching, we can get you learning, laughing, and feeling connected,” he said.
When the move-in coordinator position at Eastcastle Place became available late last year, several people suggested to Ledvina that he pursue it. “I hesitated because I loved activities and my interactions with the residents so much. But people were telling me to check it out. They said it was a good opportunity to grow and learn things,” he said.
Ledvina transitioned into the role after the holidays. “I still get to see our current residents, and I get to meet their new neighbors before they do. As the move-in coordinator, I talk to them about what they need, what they enjoy, and what their interests are,” he said. “I assist with coordinating the logistics for people moving in, including finding movers, helping with downsizing, scheduling the move, and helping with anything else I can to make things go smoothly and easily for the residents.”
Additionally, Ledvina noted, he is a resource for prospective residents interested in learning more about the community. “There’s such a large range of programs in which residents can take part. Because of my previous role here at Eastcastle, I am very well versed in all Eastcastle has to offer.”
As Eastcastle Place is launching its expansion and renovation project introducing its new Lake Terrace apartment homes, Ledvina said, it’s a great time to be in his new role. “There’s so much excitement in the air regarding this project. There’s a lot of interest in the community, and the residents are always happy to have new people joining them. I hear ‘When do we get to meet our new neighbors?’ nearly every day,” he said. “It’s an anticipation we all share.”
“The entire staff at Eastcastle Place truly is a team that pitches in and does whatever they can to keep the residents happy, engaged, and safe,” he said. “I think the best way to learn a new skill is to lend someone a hand. It takes a village, and we have that here.”
A life plan community located on Milwaukee’s vibrant East Side, Eastcastle Place offers independent living, promoting an active and engaging lifestyle for seniors. The Health Center at Eastcastle Place offers assisted living, memory support, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing services, thus providing complete continuing care for seniors. Eastcastle Place is managed by Life Care Services®. For additional information, visit EastcastlePlace.com.
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